Forced To Room With My Hockey Rival

FIVE

Moxie's POV

I wasn’t actually asleep. My eyes were closed, but sleep was far away from me. I couldn't help but be unconsciously aware of my environment. After all I had been through, I found it hard to relax completely. Thoughts kept spinning through my head in tangled circles. Every time the car hit a small bump in the road, my body tensed slightly, even though I tried to remain still. I didn’t want to talk, and I didn’t want to answer questions either. Mostly, I didn’t want to think too much about what had just happened.

But my brain wouldn’t stop, and everything felt unreal. Only a few hours ago, I had been trapped in Dustin’s apartment, trying to convince him to accept the money and let me leave peacefully. Now I was sitting in a car with my best friend beside me and my former hockey rival driving us somewhere I had never been. And somehow that place was supposed to be safe. I didn’t know how to process that yet. A part of me was scared that this wasn't real, that I had made it all up, and I was still at Dustin's apartment.

So I kept my eyes closed and pretended to sleep. The car ride was quieter than I expected. Quince spoke less after I asked for silence, and George didn’t speak at all. I was thankful for that. I was tired and embarrassed, and the last thing I wanted was to be bombarded with questions and be forced to answer them.

Eventually, the car slowed, and I felt the vehicle come to a stop. “We’re here,” Quince said gently. She then gently shook my shoulders in an attempt to wake me up. "Come on, Moxie, we're home," She said.

I opened my eyes, and for a moment my vision was blurry, but as it cleared, I realized we were parked in front of a large house. No, not a house. It was a large and beautiful mansion.

It stood behind tall gates with warm lights glowing from the windows. The driveway curved neatly toward the entrance, and the front garden looked carefully maintained. My stomach tightened at the sight. I had lived in a house like this once, before everything fell apart.

Quince jumped out of the car quickly and opened my door. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s get you inside.”

I stepped out of the car slowly. My legs felt stiff from sitting so long, and a dull ache ran through my ribs when I straightened up. We started walking toward the front door. I had barely taken a few steps when my foot caught on the edge of the driveway. My body tilted forward suddenly, and for a split second, I thought I was going to fall face-first onto the ground. But strong arms caught me before I could hit the pavement.

I could feel his scent in my head, and I recognized it instantly: George. His grip was firm around my arm and shoulder, steadying me instantly. The contact made my entire body tense, and heat rushed to my face. I felt so embarrassed that my first instinct was to push him away. “I’m fine,” I blurted, trying to pull back. My reaction was stronger than necessary.

George didn’t immediately let go, but he didn’t tighten his grip either. Instead, he held my arm just firmly enough to keep me balanced. “I’m not doing anything,” he said calmly. “I meant no harm,” he added, and I paused at his words.

What did he mean by that? Was he talking about now, or was he referring to what happened at the game award?

For a moment, I stopped struggling. Once he seemed sure I could stand on my own, he released my arm.

“Watch your step,” he added quietly, and I mutely nodded, unable to form the words even to thank him. Then he turned and walked ahead toward the door.

Quince tugged my arm gently. “Come on, Moxie. " Let's go in,” She said with a concerned look, and I gave her a nod as well. Inside, the mansion felt warm and quiet. The mansion was just as beautiful inside as it looked on the outside. George disappeared down the hallway almost immediately after we entered. Quince led me upstairs. “You’re staying here,” she said, opening a door to a guest room.

The room was simple but comfortable. There was a large bed standing near the window, and a small desk sat against the wall. “You can take as long as you need,” she added.

Before I could respond, I heard George's voice from somewhere downstairs.

“I called the family doctor for a check-up. He’ll be here soon.” He said, and I blinked in surprise. He called a doctor?

Quince nodded approvingly. “Good idea.” She smiled.

I felt strangely awkward. This entire situation was already overwhelming, and George’s calm, helpful behavior made it even more confusing. He had every reason to dislike me after what happened in high school. Yet he was the one calling doctors and helping me walk. I didn’t know what to do with that.

The doctor arrived not long afterward.

He was an older man with kind eyes who carefully examined the bruises on my ribs and face. He asked a few quiet questions but didn’t push for details. After checking everything, he applied some medicine and assured Quince that nothing appeared broken.

“You need rest,” he told me, and I nodded silently. Once he left, Quince immediately guided me toward the bathroom. “You should shower,” she said. “It’ll help you relax.”

I expected her to leave, but she hovered nearby the entire time. “Do you need help?” She asked, worriedly.

“No,” I replied, not wanting to bother her more than I already have.

“Are you sure?” She asked again.

“Yes.” I nodded.

“If you need anything, just call me.” She said to me with a small smile. Her constant concern was sweet, but it also made me feel slightly embarrassed.

“I’ll be okay,” I said softly.

The shower helped more than I expected. I guessed I really needed that warm bath to help me relax my tensed muscles. Afterward, I carefully applied the medicine the doctor had left for the bruises. By the time I finished, I felt so exhausted. I climbed into the bed. The mattress felt softer than anything I had slept on in months.

For the first time since leaving Dustin’s apartment, my body began to relax. Just as I closed my eyes, my phone rang. The sudden sound made my heart jump, and I grabbed the phone from the bedside table. The screen lit up, and I froze when I saw who was calling. It was none other than Dustin.

My chest tightened instantly, and I immediately felt scared. How did he know I had left already?

My fingers trembled slightly as I stared at the screen. The phone kept ringing. For a moment, I felt myself panicking, but then I remembered where I was. I wasn’t in his apartment anymore; I wasn’t trapped. I was somewhere safe, somewhere he couldn't hurt me. Slowly, I pressed the decline button. I wasn't going to speak to him. I placed the phone back on the table after declining it. My heart was still racing.

A few seconds later, the phone rang again. It was still Dustin calling. My stomach twisted. I didn’t want to hear his voice. I didn’t want to explain anything.

After staring at the screen for several seconds, I decided to turn the phone off completely so he wouldn't be able to call me.

I forced myself to calm down, and before I knew it, I drifted off to sleep. But it wasn’t a peaceful one. I was pulled into a terrible nightmare. In the dream, I was back in Dustin’s apartment.

There was broken glass on the floor, and I could hear his angry voice again—the feeling of being pinned down and unable to escape. I tried to move, but my body wouldn’t respond.

“Moxie!”

His voice echoed louder. My chest tightened. Then suddenly, I screamed. The sound ripped out of my throat before I could stop it. A loud knocking sound followed.

“Moxie!”

It was a deep male voice this time. The sound cut through the nightmare, and my eyes flew open. I was back in the guest room. The knocking continued urgently.

“Moxie, are you alright?” I recognized that voice as George’s voice. My breathing was uneven as reality slowly returned. It was just a dream.

“I..I’m okay,” I called out quickly, not wanting to cause trouble.

There was a short pause outside the door. “Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said again, forcing my voice not to be shaky. Another moment of silence followed. “Alright,” he said finally, and his footsteps faded down the hallway.

I lay back against the pillow with my heart still pounding. Eventually, exhaustion pulled me back into sleep. This time, I had no dream or nightmare. The next time I woke up, it was morning. A gentle knock sounded on the door, waking me up.

“Moxie?” Quince called cheerfully. “Breakfast is ready!”

I pushed myself out of bed and washed my face before heading downstairs. The smell of food greeted me immediately. Quince sat at the dining table, already eating. And across from her sat George. The moment I saw him, a strange feeling rose in my chest again.

I hesitated slightly before sitting down. Quince smiled brightly at me. “Oh, right,” she said suddenly. “I never properly introduced you two.”

She pointed toward George. “This is my stepbrother, George. He is a big man on campus and captain of the university hockey team.”

“And this,” Quince continued proudly, pointing at me, “is my best friend Moxie. She was a star hockey player in high school.”

My face immediately grew warm. I focused on the plate in front of me. “Quince…” I muttered.

She noticed my expression instantly. “What’s wrong?” She asked.

I cleared my throat awkwardly. “Well… we’ve actually met before.” I blurted out.

Quince blinked. “You have?” She looked surprised.

“At the state competition,” I said quietly. For a moment, the table went silent until George spoke. “Yes,” he said simply. “We played against each other.”

Quince looked between us in surprise. “Wait, seriously?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. George nodded slightly, then he glanced at me. “You were an excellent player.” The compliment caught me completely off guard. I didn’t know how to respond. So I just stared at my breakfast, feeling more embarrassed than ever.